Episode 7: Misdirected zeal

When Paul describes love, he begins with what love does. But then he quickly turns to describing what love doesn’t do—and this is probably meant as a description of the Corinthians themselves. The Corinthians are a zealous bunch; but what Paul says suggests that their zeal is pointed in the wrong direction.

What is Chunks: 1 Corinthians 13?

Many Christians think of 1 Corinthians 13 as Paul's "love chapter." The verses are read at weddings and printed on inspirational keepsakes. But Paul wasn't writing about love in the abstract; he was writing as a pastor trying to correct the attitudes and behaviors of a troubled congregation. Thus, we'll explore Paul's teaching against the background of how the Corinthians struggled in relationship to each other, and see how this might apply to our lives as Christians. (All biblical texts will be read from the New International Version, unless otherwise noted.)